WESTLAND COUNTY HAS JUBILEE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18057, 18 January 1927, Page 9

WESTLAND COUNTY HAS JUBILEE.

(Special to the “Star”) HOKITIKA, January IS The Westland Countv Council is celebrating its golden jubilee to-day The first council of 1877 included Richard John .Seddon. who was the fifth chairman of the Westland County. All the original members of *he council have passed away, but the sons of several are here, and will attend a dinner to-night to celebrate the jubilee. Mr John M’Whirter, whose descendants reside in Christchurch, was the first county chairman, and remained a councillor for over twenty years. Westland bad the county system of local government in 1867. when it separated from the province of Canterbury, and for a short period prior to the passing of the Counties Act in 1876 it was a province. The county of Westland is the largest area in the Dominion, being 4430 square miles. The population is 4100, excluding three interior boroughs, it has 463 miles of constructed road and 400 miles of tracks. The council has had three clerks. Mr H. Richardson Rae, the well-known writer, was appointed in 1877, Mr Thomas Kerr was appointed acting clerk in IS9O, and Mr D. J. Evans, the present clerk, joined the council in 1891 in that capacity, having been in the office thirty-five and a half years. The late Hon Joseph Grimmond was a prominent member of the County Council for many years, and was chairman on five occasions.